Concentrating method



Aug. 16, 1938. H. F. SMITH GONGENTRATING METHOD Filed June so; 1954 n I a a n 4 5 fi 7 w Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONOENTRATING METHOD Harry F. Smith, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application June 30, 1934, Serial No. 733,287

" 2 Claims.

for reuse.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

The figure in the drawing is a diagrammatic illustration of the invention.

My improved method of conditioning air and other gases includes the contacting of a first stream of air or gas for an enclosure or the like with a circulated liquid hygroscopic medium. This medium is then heated after contact and is caused to flow gravitationallywhile in a heated condition in contact with a second stream of air or other gas which removes the moisture from the medium which the medium removed from the first air or gas stream. The second air or gas stream is discharged outside of the enclosure and the liquid hygroscopic medium thus concentrated is ready for reuse and for contact with the first stream. w

The device 28 comprises, in general, an intake flue 22, discharge fluev 24 and an air treating zone adjacent a window or opening 28 with the intake and discharge fiue communicating with the outside atmosphere. The device 20is adapted to treat the air in rooms, and for example, as shown in the drawing the room 29. The device 26 is provided with a fan 32 operated by an electric motor 33, which fan circulates air from the exterior of the room or building through the intake and discharge flues 22 and 24 respectively. The air passing through the discharge flue together with other means about to be described is adapted to condition a liquid absorbing or hygroscopic agent to thus place the absorbing agent in its proper degree of concentration. It is then circulated through the air treating zone 26 to reduce the relative humidity in the room 29 to a desirable condition, all of which takes place in a manner more fully hereinafter described.

That is, the stream of air for the room to be conditioned passes through the flue or compartment 26 where means for removing moisture from the air are provided. This means, in the particular form illustratedincludes devices for the flow of a circulated medium whereby the moisture is removed from the air. The circulated medium is then taken into a second flue or compartment below 24 where the circulated medium is prepared or regenerated for reuse in the first compartment 26. This also provides a means for discharging the moisture removed from the air in compartment 26 to the outside of the room through the window means 28. This moisture is discharged in the form of water vapor carried by the air leaving through discharge flue 24.

Referring in detail to the drawing the flue 24 is provided with a plurality of downwardly sloping overlapping baiiles 48 having a plurality of interconnected steam pipes 42 secured to the underside of each baflie. The lowermost baffle 48 is provided with a trough 45 having a pipe 46 leading to a coiled solution cooler 48 adapted to be cooled by air circulated by the fan 32. The cooler 48 is connected by pipe 5|] to a pump 52 adapted to be actuated by the motor 33. The flue 26 is provided with a plurality of downwardly sloping overlapping bailles 55, and a trough 51 located below the lowermost bailie 55. The trough 51 is provided with a pipe 60 leading to a pump 62 which is adapted to be actuated by motor 33. The flue 26 is also provided with a fan 65 actuated by motor 33 for circulating a stream of air about the room 29 and'into and out of the air treating zone 26, the air entering the zone through a screened opening 68 and being discharged adjacent the top of the device 28 through a screened opening 18.

The steam coils 42 are adapted to be supplied by a heater or steam boiler 15 through a supply pipe 16 and a return pipe 18. Obviously, the heater or steam boiler 15 may provide either steam or hot water as desired, it being understood that when steam is mentioned specifically it may be ordinarily replaced by hot water. The temperature in the heater or boiler 15 is preferably maintained constant by providinga thermostat 88 which controls the action of the valve 82 which controls the combustion in the burner 85. The burner -85 may be a gas burner and may be thus supplied with gas through a pipe 86. Air for the combustion of the burner 85 is preferably provided by means of an air duct 88 which is connected to the outside of the building, while the products of combustion are carried away by means of a pipe 98 to a suitable chimney also leading to the outside of the building. Preferably the heater 15 is located in the basement of the building. The supply and return pipes conbe a solution of calcium chloride, a lithium halide, such as lithium chloride, bromide or iodide, also glycerine or the like, is delivered to the discharge flue 24 by means of pump62 through a pipe 95. The liquid discharged by pipe 95 flows down the steam heated baiiies 40 and into the trough l5 whence it passes through the condenser 48 and into the pump 52. The liquid in passing over the steam heated bailles will have the excess moisture evaporated therefrom and while passing through the cooler, which is cooled by a stream of air from the outside atmosphere, will be cooled substantially to the temperature of the outside atmosphere. This circulation of the liquidabsorbing agent through the discharge flue will impart thereto a predetermined degree of concentration. The concentrated liquid is then circulated to the air treating zone 26 by means of pumps 52 through a pipe I00. The liquid discharged by pipe I00 flows downwardly over the baflles 55 where it contacts with the circulating room air, thereby dehydrating the air and supplying the treated air to the room at a reduced relative humidity. The liquid absorbing agent is then returned to pump 62 through trough 61 and pipe 60.

In order to control the amount of steam passing through the coils 42 I have provided a steam valve I05 adapted to be controlled by a thermostat I0'I responsive to the temperature of the liquid received in the trough 45. This arrangement insures a predetermined degree of concentration of the liquid irrespective of outside air temperature, if a suflicient time is provided for the evaporation at the temperature determined by the thermostat I0-I.

If desired, a room temperature responsive switch IIO may be provided. The switch H0 is adapted to control the steam valve I05 and stop the motor 33 when the temperature in the room 29 attains a predetermined low point by reason of natural temperature changes in the atmosphere. Theswitch IIO may also be provided with a manual control for stopping the operation of the device when desired.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. The method of concentrating a hygroscopic liquid medium for airconditioning which comprises flowing said liquid medium gravitationally through a heated physical contact zone in counter-current relationship with a stream of air and then cooling said medium by flowing said medium through a heat exchanging zone out of physical contact in heat exchange relationship with said stream of air while said stream of air is cooler than said medium.

2. The method of concentrating a hygroscopic liquid medium for air conditioning which comprises flowing said liquid medium gravitationally through a heated physical contact zone in counter-current relationship with a stream of air,

cal contact in heat exchange relationship with said stream of air while said stream of air is cooler than said medium.

Y HARRY F. SMITH. 

